Stars
by Shiny Button II
Summary: Hermione finds herself feeling alone one night as Ron, Harry and the others go off to face the Dark Lord. For once, it's not the pressure of school or homework that's making a 7th year Hermione breakdown.What's worse is that Harry might not be coming back


"Please," whimpered a helpless Hermione. "Please,god, no. Let this be a dream. A very, very bad dream that-" Poor Hermione was too overcome with emotion to carry on. Her hands shaking uncontrollably, she was overpowered by an outburst of waiting tears.  
"It's true," she sobbed. Burrying her face in her hands, Hermione allowed herself to cry the many tears that were tugging at her heart, just waiting to come out.  
Hermione couldn't see how she could leave this spot. It seemed as if she would forever always be curled up by this very window, all by herself...crying. Just her, the big luminous moon, and the many tiny specs of stars were all that seemed to matter in this big empty room.  
"Hermione!" boomed a voice, way across the room from the other side of the door, startling Hermione.  
She jumped and sobbed. No, go way. I can't deal with you right now... Hermione bowed her head low, feeling defeated as more sobs tugged at the back of her throat.  
"He found me," she whispered.

"Hermione!" Bang, bang, bang! "I know you're in here just-" Bang, bang, bang! "Let me in!"

Hermione stared wide-eyed at the door. Though it was blurry from tears, Hermione could still see the pounds of his fists were threatening the well-being of the door. She wouldn't be surprised if he knocked it down.  
"Alohamora." Hermione heard him murmur. But she had thought of that already. Tears running less and more slowly, Hermione stared in silent horror at the door. All was silent and all was still...

"Ow...Dammit, Hermione! Just open the damn door!" he barked.No...The tears increased and began to flow more rapidly again.  
"You can't lock yourself in the da.mn closet," he said impatiently. "It's not the answer...you know that, Ron knows that, I know that!"  
"Ron..." she whispered angrilly, shaking her head and blinking against a fresh batch of hot new tears.  
"Let me explain...let me help you. Why won't you open the bl00dy door!"  
Hermione shook her head. She wanted to let him in...the closet and in her mind, but another part stongly cautioned her not to.  
"He's fine! Please...open...the...door," he pleaded with her.  
"Wha-!" Hermione gasped."He's alive!" she asked incredulously, unable to believe it. There was a long pause on the other side of the door.  
"Yes," Harry finally answered.

Hermione frantically searched the room, her eyes darting around wildly. Where was her wand! She scurried to the other side of the room and snatched up her wand. She whiped her wet face with the back of her robes and sniffed.

"Stand back," she announced, her voice shaking violently. She muttered a spell, sending the door flying off it's hinges.

Harry burst in the room, having spotted Hermione immediately. He wrapped her in a tight and brotherly hug, kissing her furiously on the forehead and temples.  
"Hermione...don't ever do that again!"

Hermione pulled out of his grip and looked up at a 7th year Harry.  
"Where's Ron?" she demanded.

"Outside," Harry murmured. "He's just fine..." Harry looked down at his shoes.  
"Something else?" she hissed, fear clutching at her heart. Harry shook his head.  
"No," he lied boldly.  
"Well, what happened? Is You-Know-Who...gone?"  
Harry's face flushed in anger.  
"Not exactly," he answered, sounding furious with himself."  
"But things are better know, right?" Hermione asked hopefully.  
Harry stared hard down at Hermione.  
"I don't know," he replied tonelessly. "Most likely not. Voldemort will never be over."  
Hermione sighed, realizing she had probably asked enough questions. The look on Harry's face brought out nothing but sympathy. He must be furious with himself. Hermione reached out and gently stroked his cheek.  
"You made a difference," she reassured. Harry slowly forced a smile.  
"Yeah, but we need to get you out of here," Harry informed urgently. "We have to run as quietly as possible."  
"Run? But I thought this whole thing was over."  
Harry slowly shook his head.  
"I told you Hermione...it's never over."  
Hermione raised a brow and her eyes grew wide with fear.

Gasping for breath, Harry half-walked half-ran towards the forbidden forest, almost dragging an out of breath Hermione.  
"Almost there," he hissed.  
Hermione nodded. "Yup. I'm almost dead alright."  
Harry shook his head and rolled his eyes, tightening his grip around Hermione's small wrist.

Running...running through the forest lined thick with tall trees and many tree trunks protruding from underground for them to scramble over. It was true-this wasn't a place for playing and running around fore the forest was filled with many creatures  
and low hanging branches.

Harry screwed up his face in concentration.

"Ron!" Hermione hissed. They had at last found the spot. Hermione gasped.  
"I thought you said he was okay!" she added to Harry.  
Harry shrugged. "He's alive."  
Hermione's eyes grew wide as she rushed over to an unconcious-looking Ron. He sat, leaning against a tree, one hand clutching a bl00dy arm, his head hed low. Seamus sat next to him with Neville, tending to his arm. Seamus looked up in time to see Hermione rush over. He gave her a sad sympathetic look.  
"Is he okay? How's Ron?" Hermione frantically asked as she stroked Ron's scratched cheek. Ron groaned and tilted his head off to the side so as to get away from Hermione's touch.

Harry swallowed hard. "He'll be okay. This is just a pit stop for me. Seamus, Neville, be sure to lookout for Hermione and see if you can help Ron. I should be back by dawn. If not..." he shook his head lightly, letting the sentence trail. Hermione briefly turned away from Ron.  
"Harry, you're not going back, are you? You can't. You could get hurt!"  
"He already did," Seamus piped up. "Look at his neck."  
Harry's hand quickly shot up to his neck/  
"I'm fine," he defended. "I need to get back-"  
"Harry, I don't think you should go, either," Seamus said harshly.  
"Yeah," Neville softly agreed timidly.  
"Look, I'm this close to defeating the Dark Lord. I can't walk away from this fight. If I don't go now, who knows when we'll get another chance at him. I'm sorry, guys. I have to."  
There was an awkward silence that followed his statement. Harry sighed and strode over to give Seamus and Neville a hug and Hermione one last kiss on the cheek.  
"I'll be back," he reassured. He glanced down at Ron and hesitantly turned away. Hermione blinked back hot tears that were beginning to brim at her eyes, watching Harry slowly walk away and then finally disapperating. She shook her head.  
"He won't be coming back," she said boldly, more as a statement rather than a question. Seamus looked down his hands.  
"He might."  
Hermione shook her head once more as she turned back to tend to Ron. He groaned and tightened his grip on his damaged arm.  
"I guess it's up to me," she said quietly, slowly slipping a thumb under Ron's chin. She gently pushed his chin up so as to level their eyes. He gave her a pained expression and Hermione silently gasped to find his eyes silvery grey instead of it's normal green-blue. A tear slowly rolled down her cheek as she planted a gentle and brief kiss upon Ron's lips. He weakly returned it.

_"Please," whimpered a helpless Hermione. "Please,god, no. Let this be a dream. A very, very bad dream that-" Poor Hermione was too overcome with emotion to carry on._

Tears were now streaming down her face as she realized her life may never be the same. After all...this would never be over...

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

END


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